Buddha reboots with Wipro,Infy

“Initially,I was little bit upset after the Vedic Village controversy. What will we tell these two companies? I have to arrange land for them. Otherwise,we have to say,please bear with us,we cannot give you land. But things cannot go this way forever,” the CM said while announcing 45 acres land each for Wipro and Infosys. “I want the two IT companies to set up their units. Following the controversy,IT students were anxious. If the two IT companies set up their units,a large number of jobs will be generated.”

Today’s press meet was also called by the CM to send the message loud and clear that his government was still committed to setting up industries in the state.

The choice of venue for the press conference,the CPM’s state headquarters at Alimuddin Street,was deliberate — the CM usually meets the press at the Writers’ Buildings — to dispel any misgivings about the ties between the party and the government,especially on the issue of industries.

Party sources said the chief minister is still convinced that the CPM can recover from its electoral damages if a “correct message” could be conveyed to the people. This time,most of the party leaders were not opposed to his idea. In fact,CPM state secretary Biman Bose arranged the press conference at the party office in the middle of state committee meeting,where the CM was presiding over the meeting to discuss “rectification method”. Generally,other senior leaders like Binoy Konar or Nirupam Sen preside over such meetings.

Two years ago,the chief minister had asked his Housing Minister Goutam Deb,(known as a close confidant of former CM Jyoti Basu) to give land to Wipro and Infosys. But the high prices for land quoted by the Housing Minister forced Infosys and Wipro not to go for it. Bhattacharjee then began the search for alternative land for these two companies. The government was ready to purchase land from a private company. “But some criminal act took place. Murders and land grab happened. People were tortured. I want justice,punishment for the criminals,” said the CM. “I had no option but to scrap the deal with the Vedic Village company. It is a morally correct decision,” he added.

“We will talk to them after the press conference. The price will be fixed after discussion with them (Wipro and Infosys). Moreover,the land use plan also will be changed to provide them land in Rajarhat area,” Bhattacharjee said. “The area will be more suitable because social and physical infrastructure is already ready in Rajarhat,” the CM said. Besides,this time,the CM has been able to bend his housing minister into settling the prices across the table,sources said.

T V Mohandas Pai,a member of the Infosys Board who has been involved with the West Bengal project,said,“I would not like to comment on the developments. There is something called a silent phase. So no comments,please.” Meanwhile,the West Bengal IT department put up a two-line message on its official site late this evening,saying the department was in constant touch with Infosys and Wipro after the CM’s announcement.” Asked about the speculation that he was stepping down after having skipped successive politburo meets,the CM shot back: “I am not going to answer all these bogus questions.”